The institution's pride and joy is the so-called 'Stone Age Madonna'. At more than 8000 years old, it is the oldest known human-shaped sculpture in the Scandinavia and Baltic Sea area. Other s ...
The institution's pride and joy is the so-called 'Stone Age Madonna'. At more than 8000 years old, it is the oldest known human-shaped sculpture in the Scandinavia and Baltic Sea area. Other star attractions include a fragment of a 14th-century merchant ship and a glass floor that lets you look down onto archaeological remnants of one of the town's historic gates, which let through all the people and goods from New Pärnu port to the Hanseatic city.
Pärnu Museum´s permanent exhibition provides an overview of 11,000 years of history in Pärnu County through exciting exhibits and displays that introduce the life and conditions of the various eras. The main exhibit shows local developments from Neolithic times right up to the late 1980s and includes a mini-cinema showing archival films.
Pärnu Museum was founded by Society of Archaeology (Pernauer Alterthumforschende Gesellschaft) of the Baltic Germans who were history enthusiasts. Society was established in 1896 and its aim was to study, present and preserve local history. On November 3th, 1896 at the first general meeting of Society of Archaeology it was decided to open the collection which was grown both through donations and purchases to a wider audience.
In 1939-1940, Society of Archaeology did not last due to leaving of the Baltic Germans (Umsiedlung) and they had to transfer the artifacts to the possession of a new specially created society. In October 1940, museum collections were nationalized by the Soviet government. Since 1944, after the Soviet occupation of Estonia, the museum was relocated into two-story brick building Aia 4.
The house was rebuilt in accordance with the museum requirements at the time. On September 22th, 1971, a new permanent exhibition was opened.
A renovated storehouse of the XIX century on the banks of the river Pärnu at 3 Aida became a new location of the museum.
Updated Pärnu Museum offers both traditional and interactive solutions in order to enable visitors to go through all 11,000 years of Estonian history from the time of Early Mesolithic settlement, learn about the life of aristocrats having a good time and about the proclamation of the Republic of Estonia, as well as get acquainted with the lifestyles and shopping habits of Hanseatic city. In addition to exhibits, the museum has a whole floor for temporary exhibitions, the cafe which has a wide range of historical and modern food experiences, and a plenty entertainment for the whole family!
Pärnu Museum has a branch at 37 Jannseni - Memorial Museum of the Estonian poetess Lydia Koidula, which is located in a school building, built in 1850 for Estonians of suburb on the right bank of Pärnu River.
(Text: Pärnu muuseum)
Vaasa and Pärnu have been twinned towns since 1956.
